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Wednesday, Feb 15

by Larry Ness - 02/15/2006

No. 2 Duke (12-0 in the ACC) easily remained one of SIX Division I schools still unbeaten in conference play with a 93-70 win over Wake Forest on Tuesday. Also remaining unbeaten in their respective conferences were No. 3 Memphis (9-0 in C-USA) and Penn (7-0 in the Ivy League). JJ Redick canned four three-pointers and scored 33 points, his 4th straight game of 30-plus, setting a new school record. He's also the NCAA's new career 3-point leader.

My free play for Wednesday is Florida over Vanderbilt at 8:00 ET. I've won NINE of my last 12 releases at the site and with a win on the Pistons last night, my NBA run has reached 11-2, going back to Feb 3. I have a HUGE day in CBB for Wednesday with my 20* Mismatch GOY, another exclusive Las Vegas Insider Play (4-1 in Feb) and my 10* SEC Game of the Month. Looking to continue my RED-HOT run in the NBA, join me for my 10* Line Value and Situational Games of the Month (analysis will detail all!).

Memphis led 34-10 at the half and its 80-41 win over Southern Miss gave the Tigers their 12th straight win, tying George Washington and Gonzaga for the nation's longest current winning streak. Penn easily topped Princeton, 60-41. In other top-25 games, No. 6 Texas beat Baylor 90-63, No. 11 West Va lost at Seton Hall 71-64 and No. 18 Iowa beat No. 16 Michigan State, 66-54. Iowa's win was its 16th straight at home, setting a new school record.

Tonight's 53-game college basketball schedule features a doubleheader on ESPN2, along with single games on ESPN and ESPNU. No. 23 North Carolina hosts Ga Tech on ESPN (7:00 ET), where the Tar Heels are favored by 12 points with a total of 150. ESPNU has No. 21 NC State hosting Florida State, also at 7:00 ET. The Wolfpack are favored by 6 1/2 points with a total of 139 1/2.

The first game of ESPN2's doubleheader at 7:30 ET, features two struggling Big East schools. Cincinnati, just 3-7 SU and 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games, visits Syracuse, a team that's lost five of seven (1-6 ATS). The Orange are favored by 5 1/2 points with a total of 144.

No. 19 Oklahoma is in Boulder at 9:30 ET to take on Colorado. The Sooners have won and covered SEVEN of their last eight games but face a Buffs' team that is 12-1 SU at home, where they are averaging 85.3 PPG and outscoring opponents by an average of 20.9 PPG. The game is a 'pick' with a total of 138 1/2.

No. 7 George Washington hosts U Mass at 7:30 ET. The Colonials have won 12 straight games and their No. 7 ranking matches the best-ever in school history (tying the 1956 team). While U Mass is just 10-11 on the year and GW is favored by 14 1/2 points (total is 139 1/2), it should be noted that GW hasn't beaten U Mass here on its home floor since 1999 and U Mass has won SEVEN of the last nine meetings between the two schools.

Bucknell became the first Patriot League school to ever appear in a national ranking, when the Bison entered the AP top-25 at No. 24 on Monday. Bucknell's top-25 ranking is also a first for the school and the Bison will try for their 12th straight win tonight at 9-13 Lafayette. South Florida, at 0-10 in the Big East, is one of just THREE schools still winless in conference play. The Bulls are at Notre Dame (7:30 ET) tonight where they are 12 1/2-point underdogs (total is 132). Maybe they have a chance, as the Irish are just 2-8 in the Big East this year?

The Pistons won easily last night over the Nets, despite shooting just 38.6 percent. Detroit's 85-71 win sends them into this weekend's All Star break with a league-best 42-9 record. The two teams chasing Detroit for the league's best record, San Antonio and Dallas, are both in action tonight as part of the league's busy 13-game schedule. The Spurs and Mavs are each 40-11.

Dallas hosts Washington on ESPN at 9:05 ET. The Mavs have won 14 of their last 15 overall and 10 straight at home. Dallas is favored by 10 points with a total of 199 1/2. The Spurs, who saw their nine-game winning streak end on Monday in Cleveland, are in Philadelphia at 7:05 ET. The Spurs are favored by six points with a total of 185.

The NY Knicks will attempt to stop a 10-game slide tonight when they host Toronto (7:35 ET). The Knicks have lost 16 of their last 17 (4-13 ATS) and are facing a Raptor team that is 18-7 ATS on the road. Toronto is favored by 3 1/2 points with a total of 194.

In the "ugly" game of the night, the Sonics are in Minnesota to face the T-wolves (8:05 ET). Seattle is 2-8 SU and 1-7 ATS in its last eight games, while Minnesota is 1-7 SU and ATS in its last eight. Someone HAS to win! Minnesota is favored by 6 1/2 points with a total of 182.